Finding Multiples of Fractions

Let's learn about multiples of fractions.

Here, let's add 1/5 + 1/5.

We can shade two sections of the rectangle to get two fths. Let's see how this connects to multiplication.

We need to color 3 * 1/4. Since the square is divided into four equal triangles, each triangle is 1/4. 3 * 1/4 means we need three groups of 1/4. So we color three triangles.

With three of the four triangles colored, we have 34s of the square. So 3 * 1/4 equals 3/4s. Let's look at this another way. 3 * 1/4 means the same as adding 1/4 three times.

Adding 1/4 three times gives us 3/4s. So multiplying a whole number by a fraction is the same as repeated addition.

Let's try another one. Find 5 * 16. This means five groups of 16th. Since the rectangle is divided into six equal parts, we can color five of the six parts. So 5 * 1 16 equals 56.

Let's find 2 * 3/8.

That means two groups of 3/8s.

The shape is divided into eight equal parts. One group of 3/8s would be three of those parts. A second group would be another three parts. Altogether we have six parts. Since each part is an eighth, we have 68s in total.

Let's find 3 * 27th. We need three groups of 27th. The shape is divided into seven equal parts. We can color 27ths once, twice, and a third time. So 3 * 27th equals 67.

Multiplying a fraction by a whole number means adding groups of that fraction. 3 * 27th is the same as taking 27th and adding it three times. 27th plus 27th plus 27th. Adding them gives us 67th total.